Officials: Future Tent City Plans Would Have to have Structure

After a protest in Lakewood saw former Tent City residents ask the government for land in order to build a homeless community, the Township deputy mayor said any future projects from the groups would require more structure.

Protest against closing Lakewood's Tent City (Lakewood Scoop)

While not discussing the possibility of giving away land, Lakewood Deputy Mayor Al Ackerman said if the group acquired the money to purchase land, the Township would consider working with them to find a space; provided the plan had structure to it.

"What happened now is whenever we had a complaint to the Tent City manager they would say 'we don't own these people or control these people' so we had very little cooperation," said Ackerman.

Ackerman referenced numerous issues with drug abuse within the encampment that went unaddressed, citing similar responses from Tent City.

With Tent City dissolved permanently as of earlier this month, encampment leader Minister Steve Brigham said they are hoping to pursue a new project called "Destiny's Bridge", which would create a community of small and low cost homes for homeless individuals.

Brigham noted any future endeavors would also need more structure. During his last day in the encampment Brigham was confident they could raise the roughly five hundred thousand needed to bankroll the project.